The Best Two Sentences You Use Today.
13 04 2009In a state where apathy has been our biggest foe, your voice has more power than you realize. They say that silence is consent. So by being silent, we put our tacit seal of approval on the way things are. Sometimes we just don’t have the time or the energy to go out and protest something. Sometimes we think we don’t have all the information. Sometimes writing a big long letter just seems to daunting. That’s why it’s nice when there’s a way to make a real difference without having to do much at all, especially when your voice can help those who feel like they have no voice. In some cases, a one or two sentence email can be a powerful tool for change.
There’s a bill in the House tomorrow, HR 126 which could use some support.
Roughly 40% of Alaska’s foster youth end up homeless after coming out of foster care, and less than 10% end up going to college. Those statistics are sobering, and Alaska hasn’t done much to help these kids make that daunting transition from foster care to lives as productive, educated adults. These youth face challenges most of us can’t imagine, and small things could go a long way to giving them the support they need as they enter our communities as young adults trying to make it through college, or find success in the job market.
There are about 2,000 foster youth in Alaska. The cost of making these changes won’t be much in dollars and cents. The cost of not helping is worse…for these youth, and for our communities. Foster youth end up in jail and on state-paid social services, and in social service treatment in greater numbers than their peers. Ignoring these kids costs Alaskans in terms of money, lost economic activity and human potential.
- House bill 126 does the following:
Requires in-home visits with foster kids once a month, instead of the current average of once every 8 months.
Provides housing assistance for one year to youth coming out of foster care
Provides tuition assistance, and room & board for college and in-state job training. The room and board component is vital, as many of these kids have nowhere to go after leaving foster care, and end up homeless.
Allows foster kids to stay in the same school when they are moved to a new family
The bipartisan Health and Social Services Committee will be voting on this bill tomorrow. My hunch is that with all the other craziness going on in Alaska politics these days, this committee hasn’t heard much from Alaskans about how they feel on this issue. Remember, silence is consent.
Below is the contact information for the Health and Social Services Committee Members. A minute or two of your time can help make some lasting changes for Alaska’s foster youth, who hold the same seeds of potential as more fortunate kids. They just need a little more support to level the playing field.
COMMENTS FROM ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY, PLEASE!
Representative Herron (co-chair)
Representative_Bob_Herron@legis.state.ak.us 465-4942
Representative Keller (co-chair)
Representative_Wes_Keller@legis.state.ak.us 465-2186
Representative Coghill
Representative_John_Coghill@legis.state.ak.us 465-3719
Representative Lynn
Representative_Bob_Lynn@legis.state.ak.us 465-4931
Representative Seaton
Representative_Paul_Seaton@legis.state.ak.us 465-2689
Representative Cissna
Representative_Sharon_Cissna@legis.state.ak.us 465-3875
Representative Holmes
Representative_Lindsey_Holmes@legis.state.ak.us 465-4919
April 13th, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Way to go AKM.Looks like the Leg. better pay attention.The whole world is watching !!
April 13th, 2009 at 11:11 AM
AKM gets a shout-out on Andrew Sullivan.
Mudflats has some great new reporting on Sarah Palin’s nomination to be Alaska’s attorney general. It all has something to do with lima beans, homosexuals, and how hot the governor looks in a sponsored jacket. I think. And this Ross classic, on the Exxon Valdez spill:
——-
Mrs Palin’s Kind of Guy
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/mrs-palins-kinda-guy.html
Also, totally unrelated but right above AKM’s mention is really worth checking out… “A 47 year old homely matron shows up on Britain’s Got Talent … Seriously, I’m still choked up.”
I agree it will bring tears to your eyes.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/cheer-yourself-up.html
Compare “attractive” “provocative” Sarah Palin who sounds like a sick frog when she opens her mouth, to this sweet, plain woman from a small village in England who sounds like an angel when she opens her mouth.
April 13th, 2009 at 11:23 AM
I worked in social services in California prior to moving to West Virginia. My job specifically was to aid the foster youth who were emancipating out of the foster system. It was a daunting and often times thankless endeavor to aid these youth who had all but been ignored by society as a whole. Housing and college assistance was only part of the picture. These youth had no life skills whatsoever. Couldn’t cook or clean. Didn’t know how to apply for a job (let alone keep one.) Had little knowledge of self preservation (health care, nutrition, birth control) and were clueless about financial issues.
While I was instrumental in getting a transitional housing project implemented, the true success was to be found in establishing a sense of purpose within each youth. I found that to be my biggest struggle. Some kids did ok. Others, not so much. They had been raised within the foster care system to believe that they were a burden. Many kids claimed that they never felt as though they were anything more than a monthly check to their foster parents. They emancipated feeling disallusioned and bitter about their future.
Whatever happens in your state, I hope that all of these points are brought to the table. Any progress is a good think.
April 13th, 2009 at 11:43 AM
Thank you for posting this. I just got off the phone with all the representives on the list. I run a residentail home here in Alaska and say first hand what goes on. But, as you mat recall a few years ago all states were evauated by the feds as to how well foster children cared for. Alaska was the lowest on the list.
This bill will help youth in our state, and raise the standard of care we provide for them.
April 13th, 2009 at 12:08 PM
OT – I haven’t been over to BO’s site for a few weeks because of the Palinese drama. There’s a nice article from the NYTimes, about how young people are taking “community organizing” as a new career at universities … realizing it’s not about how much money one makes, but the impact one has on people’s lives.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamaforamerica/gGxCPj/commentary
(hope & change has come to America)
April 13th, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Thank you. I was debating whether or not to write e-mails to Juneau concerning the nomination by GINO of another commercial fisherman to the Board of Fisheries when I read your article. You are correct when you wrote that silence is a form of consent.
If this nomination goes through, there will not be 1 member of the Board of Fisheries that lives or fishes north of Wasilla. With Brent Johnson, GINO will place 4 representatives from the Cook Inlet Region to sit on the Board of Fisheries. Which leaves the Interior, Alaska Natives and subsistence / personal use fisheries with no representation on the BOF.
As I mentioned above, i was debating whether to write an e-mail to Juneau and your article was a sign not to give silent consent.
I now have 2 subjects to write the Representatives and Senators about.
THanks!
April 13th, 2009 at 12:16 PM
I was shocked to learn how foster kids are treated. I will be making those calls. Thank you for keeping us up to date on the really important information.
April 13th, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Although I do not live in Alaska…I cannot tell you how very important this bill if to the kids.
I was a foster parent for years, both in Pa and NH…I only took long term foster kids, who stayed in my home for years. In fact I became guardian of one severly disabled girl (now 35) and she continues to live with my ex
Like Kristin I worked not in foster care, but with “troubled” youth…many were in or had been in foster care.
These kids, and they are kids, have so many needs. One of the biggest obstacles is low self esteem and confidence…little to no hope in the future.
We have transitional housing here for youth…what a difference!
Oh AK you are so right when you speak of the money. It may cost dollars to help these kids out now, but if you dont, the expense of jail (around $40,000 or so a year), rehabs, etc is so much more expensive.
Our future is in our children…all children.
I applaud your efforts in making this bill known to the public and I hope that all in Alaska will respond positively and call, write, email each and every one of the leg
April 13th, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Our letter of support has now been sent. More attention to this subject is vital.
Thanks
April 13th, 2009 at 8:04 PM
Only 10 comments… always knew people didn’t care too much for us foster kids.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:35 PM
I agree if alaska does not have something to help these kids it should.I don’t think Gino really cares one way or another as it does not effect her o her family and if passed would need money from her budget,I applaud Foster Parents everywhere but i have also seen thew worse of them that are in it for the money onlt so I can see where some of these kids come from. I have see foster children in homes wit bio children and the foster children have to pick up most of the slack and the bio kids get away with much more than they should have.Children being Killed by foster parents as a MIlwaukee baby was are becomming more the norm instead of the opposite and that hurts everyone
April 14th, 2009 at 12:01 AM
It’s late, but I sent a message to the legislature in support, Sauerkraut. I suspect there are more supporters than you know.
April 14th, 2009 at 3:11 AM
As a former foster parent with the state taking in emergency placement kids, I can vouch for the sensibility in this. One of the girls I had went on to move to another state trying to hook up with her birth mother after leaving foster care, and ended up with 5 children out of wedlock. It’s not a moral judgment to state this, just validation of having few options in-state. I’ve often wondered how we justify “caring” enough to place these children, then suddenly at age 18 cut them off with little or no support other than what the immediate foster family might provide out of pocket. Would we do that to our own kids, all of them, each time they came of age? I’m not advocating a welfare state, but this makes so much sense. I say yes!
April 14th, 2009 at 7:12 AM
Sauerkraut -These are the children that the Right To Lifers don’t worry about after the birth process is complete. If they put as much time, energy and money into championing for children who are already here they wouldn’t have enough time to worry about the unborn. I spent my childhood in foster care. I was blessed to have a foster mother who encouraged me to be the best I could be. A lot of people don’t realize that many of the homeless living on the streets were at one time in the foster care system. There are many who take in foster children for selfish reasons looking for an easy way to make a buck hopefully those are far and few between. I applaud those who foster with the intent to nurture, protect and care for children who are truly considered America’s second class citizens. Hopefully they can relate to the adoptive child’s creed: “Not flesh of my flesh nor bone of my bone but still miraculously my own, never forget for a single minute you didn’t grow under my heart but in it.”